Judgement

B. P. SINHA, J. : This appeal by special leave is directed against the concurrent judgments and orders of the courts below, convicting the two appellants under S. 120-B read with S. 165-A, Indian Penal Code, and sentencing them to rigorous imprisonment for 18 months, and to pay a fine of Rs. 200 each, and in default of payment of fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for 6 months. A separate conviction under S. 165-A has been recorded in respect of the first appellant, Badri. Under this head, he has been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 18 months, the sentence to run concurrently with the sentence under the common charge.

2. The facts as found by the courts below, which could not be successfully challenged before us, are as follows : The second appellant, Ramji Sonar, is a gold-smith by profession, and runs a shop on the main road in the village Naogachia. In the village, there is a police station, and the shop in question is situated in between the police station building and the residential quarters of the Inspector of police, who was the First Informant in the case, resulting in the conviction and sentences of the appellants, as stated above. The first app